It was springtime, that much I remember vividly. I was all into the rebirth of all things, happy that winter was over. I was all set to start remodeling my home, when Devon came to the door. I hated when he visited! It always meant there was another one and I’d be stuck with him or her.

“Good evening, Shelly,” he greeted with a kiss on both of my cheeks. “How are you?”

He was too nice, as usual when he wanted something. “Fine,” I replied cautiously. I didn’t trust him when he was like this.

“Good,” he replied. “I’ve got a job for you!”

I pulled my chestnut locks back, securing them with a barrette. I expected this. “What is it this time?”

Devon smiled bearing porcelain fangs. “Oh, you’ll like this one,” he promised, again! “I chose him especially for you.”

I rolled my eyes. I’d heard all this before. "That’s what you said about Trevor!”

“All right, so I was wrong,” he shrugged. “Trust me, Shelly.”

I wasn’t planning to do anything that couldn’t wait another few weeks. “Where is he?”

Again, a mischievous smile played across his lips. “Sweetwater. He’s one of those Pony Express riders…”

“He got a name?” I asked, suddenly interested.

“He’s a Kiowa half-breed,” Devon informed me. “Name’s Buck Cross.”

I smiled, knowing that at least the tips of my own fangs were showing. “Sweetwater, here I come!” Chapter 2

I spotted him, which wasn’t hard to do, sitting, staring at his tombstone. Nothing’s worse than a confused vampire.

“Buck Cross,” I read aloud as I stood next to him. “Friend, Pony Express rider, blah, blah, blah.”

He turned and stared at me. His eyes as black as obsidian. He was newly risen.

“Well, now that I have your attention, whad’dya say we get started?”

Buck looked afraid to speak.

I took a deep breath, softening my approach. “I’m Michelle, but everyone calls me Shelly. I’m here to train you, so to speak.”

“What’s happened to me?”

His voice sounded so sad, so alone. I wondered if Devon had explained things to him. “You’re a vampire, sweetie,”

“A vampire?” he questioned. “How?”

“Son of a bitch!” I cursed. Every time! He does this every damned time! “I’m sorry…”

“Please,” Buck began, fear still in his eyes. “You’ve gotta help me. Tell me what’s happened…”

I took his face in my hands. Something inside him was dragging me in. I was going to get involved, again! I couldn’t afford to do it, but his eyes held me, it was useless to fight. “I will, but you’ve gotta trust me.”

He swallowed hard, trying to swallow his fear, I imagined. “I will.”

I stood, taking his hand in mine. “There’s a farmhouse up the road…”

“The Johnson’s place?”

I nodded. “Yep. We can talk there,” I told him. “It’s vacant.”

“Yeah, they moved out a few months ago,” he told me what I already knew. “Why can I remember that, and not how I became what I am?”

“You will,” I promised.

The Johnson’s farmhouse was set back in the woods. It was small, but secluded, just what I was looking for! Out of habit, Buck made a fire in the fireplace as I lit a few candles I’d dropped off before going to the cemetery.

“First, I want to let you know, you can never go back to the cemetery, you can never see your family or friends again…”

“Why? Why can’t I just make something up?”

I smiled, remembering that that was my first argument as well. “How will you explain the fangs, the fact that you’re very cranky during the day so you sleep, not to mention the blood lust…”

“I see your point.”

“Bet you haven’t fed yet, have you?”

He looked at me quizzically, answering my question without saying a word.

“Fine,” I said sitting him down in the chair. “You’re gonna hafta drink from me…”

“What? No!” he persisted. “I can’t do that…”

This wasn’t going to be easy. “Look, Buck,” I started. As I spoke, I pulled my hair up again. I’d cut it, but it would just grow back in minutes. “The man who made your, he didn’t give you all you need. Besides, he knows my blood is more powerful than his is…”

He arched his brow, which I found strangely attractive. “Why?”

Here came the truth. “I’m a lot older than he is. But at least a good two hundred years.”

I knew he didn’t believe me! It was in his eyes.

“You don’t look over twenty!”

He was good! “I was twenty two when Morganna cursed me…”

He still didn’t believe me. “That’d make you…”

“Three hundred and sixty! Happy?” Men! They're always doubting you. “Now,” I said, bearing my neck to him. “Drink!”

I closed my eyes, waiting for the sting that finally came. I braced myself, gripping the back of the chair until my knuckles became white.

“Stop,” I whispered, hearing our heartbeats intertwining, then becoming one. He held me closer to him as if he were trying to pull me inside him. Stars played behind my closed lids, sparkling and bright. “Please, stop.”

Finally, he freed me. Breathless, I crumpled onto the floor, my spinning head in my hands.

“What did I do?” he whispered, picking me up off the floor.

“I’m fine,” I replied as he placed me carefully on the bed. “Really.”

He shook his head. “What can I do to help?”

I looked into his eyes. They’d become a glowing violet, framed by lush black velvet lashes. How beautiful they looked against his tanned skin. His black hair seemed to shimmer, as if touched by a million stars. He was breathtakingly beautiful.

“In my bag,” I managed. “There’s a bottle…”

In an instant, he produced it. “Here,” he said opening it.

Carefully, as not to spill the contents, I drank. The warmth of the crimson liquid washed over me in a drowning rush. In moments, I was back to normal.

“Thanks,” I said, sitting up. He looked so concerned and yet, underneath it all, afraid. “Don’t be afraid.”

“But…”

I put my finger to his lips. “You can not die, or get sick. You’ll love stronger, hate even stronger yet. You will cry and laugh; yet at times, you will brood and sulk. There’s an entire world of beauty only you and I can see. A world void of fear and want, and you only have to remember two things: don’t drink from the dead, and be home before dawn.”

Softly, I kissed his forehead. Devon had made a mistake with this one. He was a good man.

“That’s it?” He questioned. “That’s my life?”

I couldn’t help myself. “That’s our life.”

“You’ll leave as soon as you’re done with me.”

I shook my head. “No. Not this time.” I’d done it! I’d fallen head over heels in love with him. Silently, I cursed my preternatural heart.

“Nothing will ever be the same again, will it?” He asked, looking down at his hands, his hair falling softly into his eyes.

I reached over, brushing the hair away. His eyes had become bottomless pools of melted chocolate. Never had I encountered a soul so pure and full of innocence, like his. “I’ll help you, Buck. For as long as you want me to.”

My body was telling me dawn was on its’ way. All I wanted to do was curl up under a soft fluffy blanket and sleep.

“I feel drained,” he said, reading my mind.

“C’mon, this isn’t a good room,” I ordered, heading for the cellar I’d fixed up. This wasn’t my first trip to Sweetwater. Shortly after my first visit, the Johnson’s disappeared. The cellar now resembled a large bedroom. A four poster bed took up most of the room, along with a dresser and a desk.

Buck looked around at my dust collectors. Scrying mirrors, candles, crystal balls, dragons and fairies were hidden in every nook and cranny.

“Yeah,” I agreed with the look on his face. “They’re strange, I know. But they’re part of my past.”

Behind a screen, I changed into a nightshirt. “We’re gonna hafta share the same bed,” I informed, brushing my hair. “I won’t bite.”

“Promise?” He asked from the other side of the room.

“Nope! Just won’t do it tonight,” I teased. “No promises for tomorrow!”

Eventually, we snuggled under the down comforter.

“We’re you ever in love?” Buck asked, his voice edging towards sleep.

“I’ve liked a lot of men, but I’m working on bein’ in love.”

I saw him smile sheepishly. “He’s a lucky man.”

“I’m a lucky woman!” I heard myself saying. I opened my eyes again and softly kissed his cheek. “Good night, Buck,” I whispered, snuggling into his embrace.

“Night, Shelly,” he replied.

The words I’d told him earlier about how we loved stronger, rang through my head. Boy, I certainly wasn’t kidding! Chapter 3

When I opened my eyes, Buck was looking down at me. His eyes were still sleep filled. His head resting on his hand, and he was busy tracing my forehead with his fingertips. I didn’t want to move, afraid that this would all be the result of tainted blood.

“Mornin’,” he said, kissing the tip of my nose. “You old people sleep late!”

“I need all the beauty sleep I can get!” I teased. Was this what being married was like?

“You’re too beautiful already.”

“Go get dressed!” I ordered. “There’s a whole world out there waiting for you.”

He kissed my lips softly. “I like the world in here better,” he whispered before nibbling my ear.

I tried to ignore what my preternatural body screamed for. We’d only just met, and I was to teach him, not loose myself to him.

“Wait,” I began to protest as he began to explore my now naked body.

“Ssshhh,” he said, smothering my lips with his. Slowly he kissed a trail down my neck. Again, I felt the familiar stinging and let out a soft moan. Tenderly, he continued, stopping at my breasts where he lingered long enough to suckle each one. Every kiss sent a fire through me like I’d never felt before.

“I’ve never met anyone like you,” he whispered, his voice thick with lust.

I searched his face for any sign of betrayal, hatred or disgust and all I found was tenderness and love. I wanted him to feel what I did when he drank from me. The passion that filled me. Carefully I pinned him down by the shoulders.

“I want you to feel what I feel,” I whispered, mounting him.

The feel of him inside me left me breathless, causing me to almost forget what I wanted to do to him. I kissed his muscular chest, each kiss soft and tender, growing in intensity, whether I wanted them to or not. My lips met his, yet again. We kissed as if we’d never kissed before, tongues intertwining. I felt his arms around me, like the night before.

Again, I stopped, long enough to whisper my warning. “I want you to know what it’s like to love me.”

My lips left a trail to the middle of his neck. In one swift motion, I plunged my fangs in deeply. I felt him stiffen, and moan with pleasure. His blood ran hot over my tongue, and down my throat. Buck’s nails ran down my back, tingling my spine. After a minute, he was on top of me, his fangs returning the pleasure. As he let go, I felt him explode inside me, as he shuddered.

I’d waited for so long to find someone who would love me, for what I was. My heart hoped it had. I curled up next him, listening to him breathe. At that moment, I would do anything for him.

“Are you all right?” He whispered, pulling me into his embrace.

I was crying. Lord only knows why! But I couldn’t hide it from him.

“Yeah,” I sniffled. “Big bad vampire I am, huh?”

He gave out a little chuckle. “I love you,” he said.

I pulled away, putting on my nightshirt again. “You can’t.”

“Why?” He persisted. “Haven’t you ever met someone and known that they were the one?”

“Yeah,” I replied. “Then they die…”

He turned me to face him. “I’m not gonna die, remember?”

“Then you’ll leave.”

A grin played across his lips, his eyebrows arching. “If I love you, why would I leave?”

I embraced him, burying my face in his chest. “Promise?”

He put his head on top of mine and held me close. “I promise.”

In that instant, I knew what I had to do. Chapter 4

“Mortals’ minds can be manipulated,” I informed him as we neared the Sweetwater station. “Trust me.”

He smiled. “I do!”

“You’re sure they never found your body? What about the grave?”

He shrugged. “I just happened to find it on my way up to the house.”

I took the rings from my pocket and handed him one. “Remember what I told you.”

“We’ve practiced this for two weeks!” He reminded me.

I’d never tried to pull off a charade before. There was a first time for everything! The woman he’d described as Rachel answered the door. I played the good wife and let him start.

“Everyone,” he began, shyly biting his bottom lip. “I’m sorry for leading you to believe I was dead, but I didn’t wanna burden you with this. I fell in love while I was on a run through Crystal Rock…”

“You couldn’t tell us?” Lou chimed in.

“Shelly’s dad didn’t accept me, at first. I didn’t want him to do that to you. You’re my friends, and I didn’t want him to feel that way towards you.”

“So, you ain’t ridin’ no more?” Cody asked.

Buck shook his head. “Can’t be married an’ ride!” He reminded them. “Shelly’s dad’s givin’ me a job in Crystal Rock…”

“He realized Buck’s a good man,” I said.

“We ain’t gonna see you no more?”

“Don’t worry, Jimmy,” Buck assured him. “We’re only out at the Johnson’s old place. We’re home by supper time.”

“Well,” Kid said, shaking Buck’s hand. “Looks like we’ve got another member of our little family.”

I embraced the one they called Kid. The smell of his blood flooding his senses. Luckily for them, we ate at home!

Buck freely gave me himself. He taught me how to love and be loved. I gave him his family back. I still owed him!

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